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GHARRI REGION News
Update Tuesday November 30, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
The delegation of high-ranking Oromo
and Somali states officials, had arrived in Moyale on November 28,2004. The
Minister of federal affairs headed the delegates. They have met with the Somali
and Oromo states local leaders and various committees. Also, they are expected
to meet with community elders on December 01, 2004. According to our informant,
the Oromo state representatives have not presented their report in regard to the
locations that they do not have inhabit in or have any supporters
in.
The Oromo local officials are still
clinging on the same argument that the land belongs to them and its inhabitants
are Somali immigrants, therefore, they have the absolute right to the land. But
our reporter stated that they are not surprised by what the oromos are saying or
why they said it. Because, the Oromos are claiming the entire Ethiopian land as
theirs, so, claiming the Gharri land is something the Gharri people are already
use to it by now so, it is not new.
Our informant stated that the
Oromo local officials claimed that the Gharri people have abducted their people
and they are still held some where in the Ethiopia and Somali boarder areas by
the Gharri people. So, the Gharri officials were asked to release those abducted
people and to explain why? However, the Gharri officials denied the allegation
of abduction and brought those people in questions to the meeting. The people
were asked by the delegates if they were abducted and by whom? They replied that
no one abducted them and they simply went to participate in the Gharri meeting,
and they are fine. So, it was fired back at the Oromo officials, and the issues
of Oromo abductions was put to rest.
Also, the two Gharri victims
who were injured by the Oromo thugs have
been taken to Addis Abeba for treatment.
GHARRI REGION News
Update Friday November 26, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
The delegation of high-ranking Oromo and Somali states officials, headed by two
presidents is expected to arrive in Moyale on Tuesday November 30, 2004. They are expected to visit all nine disputed
locations in Moyale district.
On November 24, 2004,
Oromo rebels ambushed several unarmed Gharri citizens injuring two and abducting
one. But he has since escaped and has been reunited with his family. In
addition, the Oromo rebels planted landmines on the road between Dhokisu and
Beddee to terrorize the Gharri people, but the landmine was detected and removed
before any one got hurt.
According to information received from
Moyale Kenya, two Oromo factions have fought among themselves and killing one
and injuring two. The tensions are very high between the twin cities boarder
line between the Kenya and Ethiopian counterparts, each accusing the others for the
disturbances.
The Oromo Liberation Front has
declared war against the Gharri people stating that the Gharri are their number
one enemy and obstacles to their struggle therefore, said they have declared an
all out war against the Gharri people to liberate the oppressed Oromos in
Southern Ethiopia.
The Oromo Liberation has
been lying to the Oromo masses regarding their struggle against the Ethiopians
just to maintain soliciting funds from them, but, there is not one single
evidence to show that they ever fought against the Ethiopian arm forces in
southern Ethiopia, but there is ample evidences to show that the Oromo
Liberation Front fought and is still fighting against the unsuspecting Gharri
herders and looting thousands of Gharri owned herds. Therefore, our reporter
said that “the So called the Oromo Liberation
Front is nothing more than organized criminals whose main objectives are to
cleanse certain ethnic group and loot their properties in order to achieve fame
in their nomad communities.”
GHARRI REGION News
Update Sunday November 21, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
The Oromo malefactor’s attempt to
ambush and rob a Burji owned vehicle has failed. However, they indiscriminately
shot at the vehicle and killed one Borana passenger and wounded one Burji female
on board at Bakul- Boma, which is about 7 kilometers Northwest of the Moyale
City.
Also, according to the information
received from Moyale, the Oromo region administrators, community leaders and
elders are meeting in Yavelo, to discuss which one of the nine locations in
Moyale district that they will
agree not to participate in
the upcoming Moyale referendum, and they have asked for an extension until
November 28, 2004
GHARRI REGION News
Update Saturday November 06, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
Persistence and determination pays off at last. Prime Minster Melees Zenawi has
ordered new delegates to visit five locations in Moyale District. They are
expected to arrive within the next three days. The new delegates are from the
neutral regions, and clans. The Somali, Oromos, Amharas, and the Debub Izbotch
have been excluded. So, the new delegates will visit Bulladi, Goff, Beede,
Chamuq, and Mallab and determine the population make up and report it no later
than the November 20, 2004.
Our reporter said, the
locations that are populated by Somali or Oromo majority will not participate in
the referendum election. The majority of its residents will resume its
administration. Also, our correspondent stated that the Oromo region has agreed
to let the Somali region take control of five locations near Miyeso, but Babille
and other disputed locations are to be decided by concerned bodies
soon.
The
Oromo has lost hope of grabbing the Gharri region. They spent hundreds of
millions of dollars and food rations to bribe minority clans and the
poor.
However, our people’s
perseverance and determination paid off and it appears that the majority of the
disputed cities will not be contested at all, and the Gharri people become the
Sole owners of their ancestral lands. Victory to the Gharri
people.
GHARRI REGION News
Update Friday November 05, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
The
Somali state and the Oromo state representatives were not able to agree on the
issues of the last referendum election fraud, which was claimed by the Somali
state during the conflict resolution conference that was held in Addis Abeba.
So, the two regions presidents have met with Prime Minister Melese
Zenawi.
Now, the decision is in
hands of Melese Zenawi. Our reporter said what ever the prime minister decides
it will become the law. Therefore, the Somali states citizens are so nervous
because they believe that melese will decide in favor of the Oromo
state.
GHARRI REGION News
Update Wednesday November 03, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
The Gharri delegates headed by Mr. Ali Dheree at conflict resolution hearing
held at the Addis Abeba have scored remarkably well. They presented their case
to the representative of the federal government, and the election commissioners,
that the Oromo officials have violated every agreement the two states made in
the past, by the two states president. The Gharri representatives presented
supporting evidences and showed case by case were the Oromo region
representatives involved in an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Gharri
people, such as the Arero massacre of 2000 and Maddar mass killing of o6
September, 2004.
The perpetrators have not been punished or brought to justice yet. The Oromo
president admitted to it and stated that the election must go on in Moyale
district, and he is willing to remove Mr. Tadessa who is the head of the
election commission in Moyale district.
It has been agreed upon by both states
that there will be no creation of new locations or sub locations for the purpose
of participating in this referendum election. Also, the two states presidents
and head of the security personnel as well as local leaders agreed to send back
all non-residents that were brought in by both sides, but the Oromo officials
are still clinging on to the same issues, which has become a headache for the
Oromo region president.
Also, it has been agreed to apprehend
those Oromo militias who are responsible for the killing of 9 and the wounding
of 6 Gharri citizens and also to return all looted properties. So far, they have
not done it. Therefore, on November 02, 2004, the Oromo president took the blame
and faulted the Oromo region officials, for their failure to fulfill what they
have agreed upon and signed on in good faith.
The conference is expected
to conclude later today, and we will let you know as soon as the end result or
outcome is known to us.
LATEST MOYALE
News Update Thursday October 28, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
Moyale
Kenya: On October 27, 2004 one Burji
owned home was bombed, one person was killed and four were injured. They blamed
the Gharri people for the incident.
Ethiopia: The battle has just
begun: the Oromo and its Amhara masters have invaded The Ethiopian Somali
State.
As most of you already heard, it
has been reported that the Oromo region has won all-important key cities and
villages even in the areas where there are no Oromo citizens. Example, hawiya
and issa areas all allegedly were won by the Oromos, how can that happen? Who
cast their ballot there? Our correspondent stated that the reason why the Oromos
were declared the winner was not because they won the popular vote, but because
they received fraudulent ballot boxes full of voting cards.
The Somali state has already filed
a complaint with the government and election commissioners. So, it is not a done
deal yet.
In the1993 referendum, Moyale was
declared as being won by the Oromo region, but our Gharri brave brothers and
sisters’ relentlessly fight to make it impossible for the Oromos to function in
Moyale. As a result, the Ethiopian government withdraws its decision and
declared that referendum null and void. One of our local leaders said today in
2004, the Gharri people are more than ready to face the so-called mighty Oromos
as long as one Gharri man and woman stand alive in Moyale. They are ready to
defend what is naturally theirs.
The Oromos have been given five
days to expel all those street thugs and Konssos or face the consequences.
LATEST MOYALE
News Update Monday October 25, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
The Gharri people have lost both
Maddar and Wachile administratorship. Therefore, both cities will be under
the Arero district (Woreda). Now, there is lot of disappointed and shocked
people everywhere in the Gharri region. Because, it has been said as if the
Maddar was a done deal, that the majority of the ballots went to the Gharri
people, therefore, no body expect to lose Maddar.
LATEST MOYALE
News Update Saturday October 23, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
The Moyale saga continues to be a
circus like event every day.
The
Moyale district has been excluded from this upcoming Sunday’s nation wide
referendum elections.
Our correspondent stated that the
main reason for indefinite postponement of referendum in Moyale District was due
to the OPDO’s officials refusal to pull out 15,000 people they smuggled in to
Moyale, until they got their way, which is to take over the Bulladi and Goff.
Also, the Ethiopian federal arm forces stationed in Moyale failed to enforce the
laws that they came to enforce.
About two weeks ago, the two states
presidents and minister of states representing the Ethiopian federal government
signed an agreement that all smuggled Oromo people must be sent back. However,
the local Oromo (OPDO) leaders refused to send them back. Again, the Ethiopian
federal security forces that are in charge failed to do anything about
it.
So far the Oromo’s claims have been
proven to be nothing more than fiction.
There’s not a single Oromo person
who ever lived in Goff and Bulladi and none been found there either by any of
the committees who visited both towns and interviewed its residents, but they
are still claiming to have displaced people from those two towns.
Maddar and Wachile
residents will cast their ballots on Sunday October 24, 2004.
LATEST MOYALE News Update Monday
October 18, 2004, by Gur
Gharri, GSG News Contributor
The Oromo state
representatives have filed a motion and a complaint to the federal government
and the Ethiopian election commissioners, claiming that their people from
Bulladi, EL Goff, and Beede were displaced during the 2000 war. Therefore, they
are demanding for their return before this referendum begins.
Based on that complaint, the committee was created
to look into the Oromos complaint. The newly created committee has conducted
their investigation and visited EL Goff, Beede and Bulladi. They could not find
any lead or witness to substantiate the Oromo’s claims.
However, the un named general who is
the head of the federal security force was not satisfied with the committee's
findings. So, the committee was given different sets of questions, and was
ordered to go back to EL Goff and Bulladi, and conduct more interviews with the
locals or investigate the alleged Oromo refugees from those two places. They are
expected to complete their investigation or interviews today October 08, 2004
and present their findings to the full committees some time late today or not
later than October 19, 2004
Our reporter said that
based on the recommendation of the 150 Community elders and federal security
personnel that are in charge of Moyale area, the Oromo and Somali states local
officials have been arrested, and Mr. Ibrahim Bitati is among the officials now
in jail.
Also, Wachile
and Maddar residents have completed distributing voting cards, and they will
cast their ballots within next five days.
LATEST MOYALE
News Update saturday October 16, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
The Somali and Oromo states
presidents along with other high-ranking officials have left Moyale on October
15, 2004. Our correspondent stated that before departing from Moyale, they met
with security officials, and 150 community elders consisting of 50, from the
Gharri community, 50 from the Oromo community, and 50 from other small minority
groups to determine the causes of last week turmoil. So, the head of federal
security personal and 150 community elders all agreed that the local officials
from both sides are the cause of the problems.
They added that they are
the ones who smuggled non-residents in to the city that resulted in the major
disturbances. Our reporter added that the officers in charge implicated eight
local officials, four from each political party, and gave the recommendation
that 6 out of 8 officials be removed from the election committee membership, and
the remaining two to be fired from their job. Therefore, the Oromo and the
Somali elders and other officials agreed to accept the recommendation and
implemented it right away. The Gharri people had already replaced 3 of their
officials including the Moyale mayor and fired “Malin Speed.” He was charged
with inciting the public to resist against any attempt to bring in other
nonresidents from the Oromo community. Also, the Oromo officials were charged
with smuggling non-residents from all over their administrative regions and puts
peoples live in danger.
Also, the two presidents and
other government officials along with the locals agreed that there would be no
creation of new locations or villages allowed
After 4 days of intense
debates, charges and counter charges, they were able to narrowed down their
differences to two locations, Bulladi, and Chamuq. The Oromo region claimed that
they have unspecified numbers of people whom were forced to flee from Bulladi in
2000. They now are living in refugee camps, therefore, those refugees must be
returned to their original residences. However, the Gharri people disputed the
Oromo’s claim as untrue and false, that there’s no single Oromo person who ever
lived in Bulladi therefore, no such refugees existed. However, the two states
officials and federal government representatives all agreed the need to create a
three-person committee consisting of one from Gharri, one from Oromo and one
from federal government to study and determine the validity of the Oromo’s
claim. The committee has been created. They are expected to visit Bulladi and
interview the residents there regarding the alleged Oromo refugees today on
October 16, 2004.
Also, the Officials have
ordered all smuggled people to be returned to where they came from and ordered
to have another general public gathering and head count afterward. So, the
general public gathering and head counts have been scheduled for October 21,
2004 at all 9 disputed locations simultaneously.
LATEST MOYALE
News Update Wednesday October 13, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
The Kenyan and Ethiopian
boarder has been reopened. Also, the Somali and Oromo states high ranking
officials have arrived in Moyale. Now, they are conducting a meeting with local
leaders and the community elders to resolve last week's dispute over who should
be able to participate in this referendum at Bulladi, EL Goff, Mallab, and Beede
locations.
According to eyewitness
reports, it has been agreed that only the residents of the above mentioned towns
are eligible to participate in this referendum to decide which political party
should take over its administration. Therefore, the Gharri people are very happy
about it. Now, at least 3 out of 9
disputed locations have already agreed to be under the control of the Gharri
people. Also, the Gharri people are very
hopeful to win at least 3 out 6 remaining disputed locations. .
Our reporter said about 600 smuggled Konso Oromos from
Yavelo have been returned back to their home town, and the remaining other non
residents who were smuggled in by both side have been asked to leave or to be
sent back to where ever they came from. However, the meeting is still ongoing, and we will
let you know the final out come as it developed or as story is
unfolded.
Western Gharri
Region News Update Tuesday October 12, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
The Moyale City is still
under military Occupation. The Kenya and Ethiopian boarder has been closed since
last Friday night As a result all children attending schools on the Kenyan side
of Gharri District have not been able to go school.
Our reported said there are about 2000
heavily armed solders patrolling or controlling the Bulladi and they had cut off
any movement between Bulladi, and the District 02 and vise-versa. However, our
reporter stated that the reason for military presence and boarder closure was to
safeguard the City and its inhabitants (population) from possible attack by the
Oromo armed gangs, and not as to oppress the Moyale citizens.
Also, the Somali state president
Jibril and the Oromo state president Sado are expected to arrive in Moyale
today. They are expected to tour the Bulladi to determine the population make up
and also, discuss with the local leaders the cause of the disturbances and
eventually decide how it can be prevented in the near future from
happening.
Western Gharri
Region is under seized Sunday October 10, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
According to reports
received from Moyale, the scheduled referendum for Moyale District has been
canceled until further notice. Also, Moyale and all adjacent cities are under
occupation of the Ethiopian army, and no body knows how long this occupation
will last.
The excitement and anticipation of
finishing a much-awaited referendum that was thought to be within an arm’s
reach, now appears to be a thing of the past. Our reporter said that the
government’s inability to take action against the perpetrators regardless of
their party line has been blamed for what has happened on October 09, 2004 and
thereafter.
The Oromo region has made it clear
during the Gumi Gayu meeting to let the government and others know their
intention or position and that if they realize that they will lose the
occupation of the Gharri land through the referendum. They will fight to take it
back by force and or do every thing possible to disrupt and stop the process
from going through. So, our reporter said they just did that yesterday, and the
much-awaited referendum has been canceled indefinitely.
Western Gharri
Region is under seized Saturday October 09, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
0n Saturday, October 09,
2004, early in the morning local time, the Oromo region administrators brought
thousands of its peasants from abroad to force themselves into the Gharri
Bulladi in Moyale district and to claim that they are residents of the Bulladi
too. Upon receiving the information and witnessing the first 10 buses full of
Oromo peasants’ and street thugs from Hagger Mariam, Yavelo, and Mega areas, the
Bulladi residents began forming human shields at the main entrance to block
them.
However, the Oromo
drivers’ decided to run them over. Most
of the peasants and hoodlums whom were armed with machetes, knives, and sticks,
got off from the vehicles and began fighting with the Gharri Bulladi residents
in order to clear the way for the rest of the buses and trucks to enter the
Bulladi. The Gharri people responded with stones and sticks. So, full-fledged
fighting erupted thereafter. As a result of that, handreds of people were
injured from both sides and it took army helicopters and massive ground troops
over two hours to separate them. However, all three kebeles in Moyale are now
under seized by Ethiopian army personal who are trying to curtail the situation
and stone throwers from both sides.
In addition, according
to report received from EL Goff, thousand of armed Oromo militias were seen at
Didd Guchi heading toward EL Goff. Our reporter stated that a general public
gatherings and an official counts was completed at Beede and EL Goff on October
8, 2004. Not one single Oromo person or supporter was found at either location.
So, all these disturbances and fighting were intended to stop the referendum
process to take place.
Also, Bulladi was scheduled to
have a general public gathering and head counts “mololongo” today, but now it is
unclear if the process will continue or will be extended indefinitely because of
what has happened today. Furthermore, our reporter said EL Goff residents have
already started distributing voting cards, but now that too has been disrupted
by the Oromo thugs surrounding EL Goff.
Latest Gharri
News Update: Friday October 08, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
A general
public gathering and head counts at six locations in Moyale district was
successfully completed on October 7, 2004. However, accusations and counter
accusations continues between the Gharri and Oromos each accusing the other of
smuggling people from other parts of the country and from Kenya.
According to
eyewitness reports, four community leaders consisting of two from each political
party (the Somali and Oromo) has been picked without any official headcounts to
assist the election boards at Wachile.
The Ethiopian election board commissions and
judicial representatives have reviewed the Oromo's request to create nine new
sub locations in the Gharri region. subsequently, the Gharri region
administrators filed a complaint. After five days of careful reviewing of the
preceding decisions that were signed by both states presidents (the Oromo and
Somali) and listening to both sides’ arguments, they have upheld the previous
decision that there will be no creation of a new location over or near the
existing locations. Therefore, the Bulladi, Beede, and EL Goff locations will
participate in the upcoming referendum. So, the general public gathering is
expected to begin today Friday October 08, 2004 at the above-mentioned three
locations in order to pick their representatives
Latest Gharri
News Update: Wednesday October 06, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
According to eyewitness
reports from Moyale, a team of the Ethiopian election boards has arrived on
October 03, 2004. They have met with all district administrators and community
elders and informed them to have three knowledgeable residents of those
communities to join them to help determine the true residents from a newly
arrived people whom were smuggled in by both side of the political parties
(Oromo and Somali states.)
Also, they said the only
effective way to pick those community leaders who will work with them through
out this very important election is to call for a general public gathering and
let the public chose by a majority of votes. Therefore, massive public
gatherings have been scheduled for October 07, 2004 to take place simultaneously
at all six locations at 8:00am in the morning.
However, our correspondent
stated that Bulladi, Beede and EL Goff locations are not going to participates
in this important public gatherings to pick their community representatives
because of on going litigations for time beings.
Latest Gharri
News Update: Tuesday September 28, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
According to eyewitness reports, the Moyale and Uddatt districts areas in the
Western Gharri Region have received much needed rain.
On September 26, 2004, a
passenger vehicle owned by Mr. Rasheed Mamo has over turned at Kotich Harrelle
which is located about 16 kilometers from Moyale city. One female passenger has
died and 6 others were injured, but the extents of their injuries are unknown at
this time.
The Oromos attempt to take over Galgalu
Dimtu and Arda Olla sub locations in Moyale District have failed. Now they are
behaving like rabid animals or going to extreme lengths playing war drums in
order to scare the Gharri people, so that they
could ran away from their motherland. But our correspondent said that
although the Oromos are acting like a rabies -infected run away dogs that tries
to bite everything’s that comes in its way, the Gharri people are not inclined to run from it, and are
ready to face what ever the Oromos have to bring it to them.
Latest
Gharri News Update: Monday September 27, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News
Contributor
Mr. Adan Edin Abdi and Mr. Gurach A. Karrolle were presumed dead
after they were missing for over a week. The two men left Nagale heading to the
Uddatt District, and they never reached their destination Therefore; the Gharri
people are blaming the Oromo Guji thugs as the killers of the two men.
Furthermore, up to 100 Gharri gold miners are missing since September o6, 2004,
from the Burchichi Gold mine. Therefore,
their fates are unknown at this time, and the Gharri leaders have hired and sent
a third party investigator to gold mine to find out the status of those
men.
Also, 300 Gharri herds that
were looted by Oromo hoodlums on Sept. 06, 2004 from the Maddar area have been
recovered; and the authorities are still searching for more
herds.
According to news received
from Moyale, the Oromo region administrators have managed to smuggle over 10,
000 of their supporters to Moyale from Agermariam, Yavelo, Mega, and Borbor area
and more people are coming in daily. Our reporter said that the reason why that
many Oromo people being smuggled is to participate in the upcoming referendum and win the Moyale
District as part of the Oromo region.
The Gharri people have
complained to the Ethiopian authorities in the area, but they were told that
nothing could be done about smuggled people, and told to do the
same.
Latest
Gharri News Update: Monday September 20, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
Massive public gatherings are taking place in 9 locations in Moyale District.
According to our correspondent, the public gatherings were called for by the
Oromo region four to determine the population make up in the disputed areas as a
form of sample polling. So, our reporter stated that the Kenya/Ethiopian border
has been closed to curbs voter fraud, Or curb people from crossing over and
casting votes. However, already accusation of human trafficking has become the
talks of the day, that the Oromos have smuggled the Borana and Gabras from Tuqa,
Sogda, and Malbbee areas to show up for today’s public gathering mainly in
Moyale.
Similar public
gatherings were called and took place at the same 9 locations on September 01,
2004, and only a handful of Oromos and their supporters showed up, while over
10,000 Gharri supporters took almost the entire field. Therefore, upon realizing
that if a referendum was held in Moyale and Malab, then, they had no chance to
win or gain any of the disputed lands. Soon after, the Oromo politicians
protested and complained that their supporters were intimidated and blocked from
coming through, and they also accused the Gharri people of bringing people from
Somalia and Kenya. However, they failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing or
human trafficking by the Gharri people.
But they requested for a second public gathering, and that was why
today’s gathering was scheduled at first place. So, we will inform you as soon
as the final results become available
Latest Gharri
News Update: Thursday September 09, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News
Contributor
According to reports
received from Moyale, the death toll has reached 9. Eight of the 9 killed
are Hussein Girro Durro, Ali Malin Abdow,
Mallaya Edin Guracha, Abdow Ibrahim Hamaroy, Dhakelow Isaap Imid, Issaqow Gedo,
Edin Abdi Mohamed, Aliyow Malin Hassan.
Also, Abdiya Mohamed
Qalla, Hassanow Hassan Aliyo, Malin Mohamed Hassanow, Eimoy Hassan Kulla,
Mohamed Umar Dagle, and Isaaq Imid are among
the injured victims of the Oromo terrorist. In addition, our correspondent
confirmed that some of the ringleaders and the financiers of the terrorist
organization have been arrested including the Arero Woreda
Administrator.
Furthermore, there is meeting going on
in Madder between government officials and madder residents and the authorities
are trying to calm the people and helping to return to their respected former
residences.
A
season Of Ethnic cleansing has began against the Gharri people by Oromo
terrorist: Wednesday September 08, 2004,
by Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
On September 6, 2004, Oromo terrorist
raided Madar. According to eyewitness accounts, six people were killed, six
wounded and two are missing. Three of the wounded are not expected to survive.
Furthermore, they raided over 12 nearby villages and got away with an
unspecified numbers of herds ("DANAB"), however, the numbers of casualties are
not known there at this time due to lack of accessibility as there are no roads
connecting to many of those villages.
Rescue and recovery teams have been sent to the area and we will report
it as soon as we receive new developments
News Brief From
the Gharri Region: Tuesday August 31, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
According to reports received from
Moyale, the head of the Moyale area Ethiopian security enforcement, Mr.
Abera Ayela has been implicated in the
bombing incident. One of the Oromo rebels who was captured at the scene on
August 22,2004 allegedly confessed that he was one of the internal Oromo
conspirators and Mr. Aberra Ayela is their leader. He was in charge of the
campaign to disrupt any attempt to determine the land ownership.
Our correspondent stated that the
Oromo politicians knew that if the process went through, they would have no
chance of gaining any disputed land or towns. So, this is the only way they
thought they would have a chance to prolong the control of Gharri’s natural
resources.
In addition,the perpetrator said Mr.
Ayela is the rebel’s main contributor and one of the main planners who decides,
who is the target, when to carry out a crime, and the escape route. He added
that Mr. Aberra Ayela was involved in all the criminal activities that took
place in Moyale City and a collaborated with the Oromo rebels. Our reporter said
the man had a written statement in his pocket allegedly written by Mr. Aberra Ayela,
instructing him when to trigger the explosives or bombs.
Furthermore, Mr. Aberra Ayela was the same man who was
believed tohave carried out the Arero Massacre of 2000, in which 83 innocent
Gharri womenand children were slaughtered.Also, one of the threewounded men has
died and he was a Guarage ethnic.
The Oromo criminals such as Aberra Ayela are targeting the
Guaragepeople, because the Guarage people in Moyale have decided to vote for the
Gharrimajority in the upcoming referendum. The killing was politically motivated
andintended to teach them a lesson. Said the source
News Brief From
the Gharri Region: Monday August 23, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
On Sunday August 22, 2004 at about
midnight, a bomb exploded near a popular hotel in Moyale in the Gharri
Region. Three people were injured but
they are expected to survive.
According to our correspondent, three
Oromo individuals are in custody, and one of the perpetrators has implicated the
Oromo rebels as the people behind the incident.
It is believed that the
Oromo rebels and its people are nervous that the will loose most of the disputed
lands if the upcoming referendum is held peacefully and now they are trying to
stop and or disrupt this process from going through.
News Brief From the
Gharri Region: Tuesday August 10, 2004, by
Gur Gharri, GSG News
Contributor
Ethiopia: The Gharri people in Moyale
district have began distributing voting cards for the upcoming referendum. The
Moyale residents are so anxious and unhappy about the government’s strategy in
ordering the relocation of the Gharri police forces from the Disputed land area.
They believe that the government has a hidden agenda and that it may take over
the administration of the District. According to our correspondent from
Moyale, the Gharri and the Borana police forces have been ordered to relocate
and will be replaced by neutral federal police forces. Our reporter indicated
that the Government informed the town ship councils that it is for security
reasons in order to keep peace
and tranquility in the
area during the election and to curtail unforeseen criminal
elements.
Kenya:
According to the
information received from Nairobi, the Mandera Gharri city councils have
endorsed to elect a Murale individual as Mayor of Mandera city against the
wishes of the Gharri people There’s no Gharri candidate running for the Mayoral
ship. However, there are two candidates running for the mayoral ship, including
one from Degody and the second one from the Murale.
The Gharri people want to elect the
Degody candidate while Adan Mohamed Nura and his entourages are pushing hard and
perusing to elect the Muralle clan’s man. There are rumors that the Murale clan
has managed to buy their souls through Adan Mohamed Nura and their votes will be
influenced by the ransom (bribe) money.
News
Brief From the Gharri Region July 28, 2004, by Gur Gharri, GSG News Contributor
The Gharri people are
waiting for officials from Jigjiga and other dignitaries to arrive for official
ceremonies and the election of the Mayor, deputy Mayor, Speaker of the house,
and Secretary for the Uddatt district.
Also, all eyes are on Moyale district, that it will be
determined within the next sixty days whether the Moyale district will fall
under the Somali region or the Oromo region. According to the current Ethiopian
constitution the majority people or the clan that holds 51% or more will administer the disputed district. Therefore, our informant stated that the
Gharri people are the majority in Moyale, holding 75% of the
population.
In addition, the Borana leaders have accused one of the
Gharri elders, and businessman of killing one of their community leaders earlier
this month. So, they are threatening to assassinate him.
Also, we have received sad news that Mr. Dawit Intalo has
passed away on July 27, 2004, so, we ask you to pray and send sympathy to his
wives and children.
Gharri Have
Celebrated In Huge Numbers. Monday July 19, 2004, by Gur Gharri,
GSG News Contributor
On July 18, 2004. Uddatt
became a full Gharri District. The Gharri people have celebrated in huge numbers
and are still celebrating all over the Northwestern Gharri Region in
Ethiopia.
According to our
correspondent, people from all walks of life, young and old alike were chanting, dancing, and singing on
the streets through out the Gharri region in Ethiopia.
It was a joyful, and victorious day for our people. Also, it is a moral victory
that despite long struggles and stiff oppositions from the Oromos and the Ogaden
thugs, at the end they prevailed victoriously. Now all the eyes are on the
Moyale District.
Major news
from Gharri District:
by Gur Gharri June 21, 2004
GSG has
learned that the Gharri victims prayers have been answered and those refugees
who have been suffering in EL Danaba concentration Camp have been repatriated to
their homes to Butte and Gurar.
According to an eyewitness report, the Ajurans attacked the area PC upon
hearing that, the Gharri victims were about to be repatriated to their homeland.
We heard that they did tested their own medicine, that the perpetrators were
apprehended and are in jail waiting sentencing for their crimes against the
PC.
Disturbing News
From the Gharri Konfur Region
According to news received from
Mogadishu, Somalia, a well-known Gharri businessman and community icon, Mr.
Mohamed Rasheed was ambushed by Somali Thugs in Mogadishu. Originally, the
Somali hoodlums plan was to abduct him and demand a ransom, but upon realizing
that they weren’t going to succeed, they shot him in cold-blood injuring him
very seriously. Now he is in intensive care and may not survive.
Also, the
federation of RRA and Eelay bandits, waged war on the Gharri people in Bulo
Fulay and BisiqAdey area on June 19, 2004 in an attempt to wipeout the Gharri
people from the region. However, the Somali bandits (Thugs) dreams were short
lived. Determined Gharri warriors and gallant young men accompanied with
ululating brave Gharri women were able to defeat them.
News Brief From
Gharri Region: by Gur Gharri June
20, 2004
The Oromo rebels attempt to loot a
Gharri village near EL Goff, has failed. On June 17, 2004, the Gharri militia
received a tip from Oromo informant, that, the fleeing Oromo rebels are about to
attack a Gharri village near EL Goff. So, upon receiving the news, the Gharri
militias were dispatched and they intercepted it before the rebels infiltrate
inside the residential area.
The fighting ensued, one rebel was
killed and one Gharri militia was wounded. He is expected to recover. According
to eyewitness report, the rest of the rebels fled in disarray and leaving behind
the dead rebel, guns and unspecified amount of ammunitions.
Our reporter said that, the
Oromo rebels have lost their base and safe haven in Kenya. Now they are on the
run and are “panic-stricken like a cat on a hot tin roof.” So, they are
single-mindedly targeting the Gharri herders to loot for ration.
Situational
Report From The Gharri Region:
June 14,
2004
By Gur
Gharri
The EL Wake (Boru Hache) situation is very calmed. As one of our elders said,
our people’s confidence has been restored and our young women are able to do
their daily chores without fear of been raped. Thanks to our brave men who
sacrificed much to safe guard our beloved land and the Gharri’s dignity. For the
first time in over forty years, the shadow borderline that has served as a
barrier between our two communities has disappeared.
According to reliable news
received from Moyale, Kenyan and Ethiopian arm forces are conducting joint
operations in the Eastern province of Kenya to root out the criminal element
that has threaten peace and tranquility for the people living around the
borderline
Our informant said, so
far, 6 O.L. F rebels have been captured along with one of the well-known
supporters of the Oromo rebels by the name of Roba Abba mal-le. So, the Oromo rebels are on the
run.
News
Brief From The Gharri District:
May 9, 2004, by Gur
Gharri
Five men were arrested on
Friday May 07, 2004 in EL Wake, including four Gharri and one Murralle
individual. The four Gharri men were Mr. Salad Adan Barricha, Chief Hussein Adan
Khalif, Councilor Dima, and a driver of a vehicle where two Murralle men were
allegedly taken out and murdered in April 2004. One Murralle man was only
identified as Councilor Nunow.
Furthermore, as tensions
mounted between the Gharri
and Ajuran, the Kenya
government ordered armed military intervention, and now there is a massive
military buildup in and around the Ines Teno area which was intended to curtail
the Gharri people from retaliating against the Ajuran for the
killing of three of their
citizens.
Also, Six people were killed in a
fight between two Marehan factions over control of Belled Hawo located near
Mandera. Our reporter said two people were injured in Mandera town by gunshots
from belled Hawo, and one of the injured is in critical
condition.
News Brief From
Gharri Region: May 03, 2004,
by Gur Gharri
On April 30, 2004, Ajurana Thugs raided two Gharri herders
in Dharken Torban Near Qofolle, and murdered Mr. Abdi Usuman Aeymoy and
kidnapped two young men in their twenties.
On May 02, 2004, the
torture and mutilated bodies of the two victims were found in Qofolle area. The
two victims were identified as Aliyow Malin Hassan Isaaq and Rashid Ibrahim
Ibren. Now the area PC has ordered the Kesnyan Arm forces to safeguard the
Ajuran Communities from possible retaliation from the Gharri
Communities.
Also, according to news
received from Moyale Kenya, two Ires Teno Chiefs, who were let go in March
2004, have been ordered to go back to their previous location.
News Brief From
Gharri Region: April 19, 2004, by
Gur Gharri
The
Moyale District election has been ratified. The winners of the city Mayoral seat
and speaker of the house position including deputy mayor and assistant Speaker
has been filled.
Mr. Ibrahim Bitati was elected as
Mayor and Mr. Shukri Ed Dhayow as Speaker of the house. The deputy Mayor went to
the Gabra and another minority was given the position of assistant speaker of
the house. The Uddatt District election has not been
ratified yet.
News
brief from Gharri DISTRICT:by Gur Gharri Tuesday March 30,
2004
News received from Gharri
District indicates that the Kenyan government has ordered the closure of its
border with Somalia. According to our correspondent, the Mandera-Bellede Hawa,
EL Wake-EL Waq and all other points of entry to the country have been closed.
One Gharri owned vehicle was seized and
its owner who is a resident of Kutulo was arrested as well.
News
brief from Gharri Region:by Gur Gharri Sunday March 28,
2004
GSG has learned that an unknown group of men
terrorized school children. The information reached us from Moyale indicates
that hundreds of school children were injected with unknown substances against
their wills, while they were going home from schools or walking to schools.
Three of the perpetrators have been captured. They clamed to be from the Sakuye
clan, and were hired by an unspecified agency to commit this heinous crime. So,
the mater is under investigation.
The
Ethiopian soldiers and Oromo rebels clashed in the Moyale borderline and have
clamed one Gharri bystander at Soko Marata. On March 26, 2004
Furthermore,
Ires Tino and Sakee Chiefs have been let go and replaced by Ajuran. However, the
area residents are not willing to accept the new chiefs. So, peace and
tranquility in the area is in jeopardy
News
brief from Gharri Region:by Gur Gharri Wednesday March 10,
2004
For the past 12 years, they
were the only bullies in town. The Marehan forces have been terrorizing area
residents, robbing, and killing innocent people daily. They have murdered
fourteen Gharri citizens in cold blood, without any provocation.
On October 14, 2003, a
small but determined Gharri force took control of their District and around the
EL Waq oasis. Since then, the Marehan
has been trying so hard to mobilize the other clan forces in the area through
lies telling other Hawiye clans that EL Waq has been taken over by Ethiopian
forces but, was not able to convince others. Now we have learned that they were
able to fool the Murralles and are now pressing on to take over EL Wake (Boru
Hache). However, we are confident that if they acted on their rhetoric's, at the
end, our forces will prevail. Victory
to the Gharri people.
News
brief from Gharri Region:by Gur Gharri Saturday March 06,
2004
GSG has learned that in the past two weeks 8
Gharri Citizens have died. Two men died in
EL Dorete, three people died in EL Wake including two women and three people
died in Moyale. According to our correspondent, six of the eight people were
died from various illnesses, and the other two who died in EL Dorete were killed
by a car accident.
The dispute between the Wargadud, Borehole 11
and the EL Wake residents over the Girls Boarding school project has been
settled, and the Girls boarding school will be built in EL Wake.
News brief from
Gharri Region:
by Gur Gharri
Sunday February 22, 2004
GSG has learned that last month’s election in Dolo
district was cancelled. Our
correspondent stated that the election was canceled due to Degodia’s misconduct
in cheating the Gharri Marro and other smaller clans in the area. They switched
ballot boxes and voting cards in order to deny others the right to participate
and have representative of their own.
Also, the Degody and some election
boards were accused of placing almost all of the polling places in the Degody
clan populated area, where is not accessible for others to go and vote.
So, new
elections will be scheduled in the near future, for Dolo, Jijiga, and Shinillee
Districts.
News brief from
Gharri District:
by Gur Gharri
Thursday February 12, 2004
The Mandera West
constituency has received two Ambulances that will serve, the Takaba and Banissa
area residents in the Gharri district.
According to our informant, the
Mandera District Commissioner and MP visited Gharri citizens living between the
Mandera-Wajir boundary and the Somali Kenya borderline. They witnessed large
numbers of the Gharri people living in a vast land, with out schools, Mosques,
or Clinics and no any government officials or area MPs in the previous Kenya
government personnel has ever visited or even knew they existed. As a result,
the two officials, agreed to build Schools, Mosques, and water projects for
them.
In addition, the delegation headed
by the above mentioned officials verified that the alleged Shifta take over of
the EL Wake area was false and unfounded.
Moreover, the Gharri
brave young men have stored peace and tranquility in EL Waq area, and even the
Marehan clan has began expressing their appreciation for our young men's
restoration of peace. There is not a single incident reported since they took
over the area patrol on October 14, 2003. Furthermore, the Gharri-Marehan peace
conference is going on in Nairobi, Kenya.
Also, about 60 Gharri people went to
Hajji from the Gharri District, and all of them have successfully completed the
Hajji and more than half had returned already. Not one single Gharri person was
hurts in last month’s incident in the stampede.
According to a report received from
Nairobi Kenya, the Wajer North MP Dr.
Abdulahi Ali AKA “Kabareta” was arrested and jailed for 3 days. However, he was
released after he posted bail. He has not been seen in public
since.
Gharri News
Brief; by Gur Gharri Sunday January 25,
2004
The
Somali regional state election for the region wide district representatives has
begun on Saturday night or Sunday their time, January 25, 2004.
So, The Gharri people
of Moyale and Uddatt Districts, went to the pools as scheduled without any
incidence. they turned out in record numbers to elect 159
representatives.
Eight city
administrators will be selected from the
159 District parliaments.
A mayor, a
Speaker, and two assistants will be chosen from
the 159 representatives for
each district. So, we will let you know as soon as the pools close and the
winners declared.
According to an eyewitness report from Dire Dawa Ethiopian,
three locations including Jijiga and two other locations near Dire Dawa have
been postponed due to a disagreement regarding who should be nominated to run.
therefore, it was not parts of today’s election.
Gharri
District's News Brief; by Gur Gharri Tuesday January
13, 2004
According to an eyewitness report from EL Wake, Gharri
District, the Gharri people have asked the Murrale herders to get out of the
Gharri grazing area. As a result, some Murrale herders have moved out of the
area, while others remained behind. It is rumored that some Gharri ex community
leaders are supporting those remaining Murralle migrants. Subsequently it
created a verbal feud between the two communities, as well as amongst the Gharri
themselves.
Also,
the Muralle clan has agreed to pay blood money in the amount of 600,000
Shillings, in which 150, 000 shillings has been collected
already.
In addition, our reporter indicated that the Gharri
and the Ajuran clan's elders have made an agreement for the Gharri clan to pay
blood money for the Ajuran victim that was allegedly killed by an unnamed Gharri
person a month ago in December 2003, near Gurar
We are saddened to report that two Gharri young entrepreneurs
and outstanding community members, Mr. Hussein Abdow and Haji Abdula Roqa were
killed on January 11 in a car accident between Chiracho and Nakuru.
So, on behalf of the entire Gharri
Support Group in North America, may Allah bless their souls and ease and give
strength to their loved one. To all surviving loved ones, Please accept our
warmest Sympathy and our thoughts are with you and be strong.
Gharri
District's News Brief; by Gur Gharri Sunday January 04,
2004
According to our correspondent from EL Wake, the Marehan clan has paid $610,000
in blood money for the murdered Gharri man’s family and the remaining $190,000
will be paid very soon. Both populations of the twin Cities, “EL Wake” are
enjoying peace and tranquility, thanks to our brave young men. Also, an unusually heavy rain has been reported throughout
the Gharri region. So, the farmers and the herders alike all are enjoying the
blessings of Allah.
Gharri Support Group
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